


Reconnect

by soneet (FioreLaurant)



Category: Free!
Genre: Baby Rei being cute with his big bro, Brotherly Affection, Canon Divergence, Family Fluff, Gen, Self-Indulgent, because there needs to be more family fics, in place of a birthday fic, there's a birthday bit somewhere if you squint
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-13
Updated: 2015-12-13
Packaged: 2018-05-06 12:36:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,774
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5417330
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FioreLaurant/pseuds/soneet
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tomoe also meets the newest addition to their family the same year. When his parents told him he was to become a big brother, he was delighted. He’d have someone to race with all the time now.</p>
<p>‘Rei’ they had named him(suddenly he wasn’t so conscious of his own name sounding girly). His mother helps him hold the baby in his arms and when he hears Rei laugh for the first time, he learns what it means to fall in love at first sight.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>Snippets from the lives of the Ryugazaki brothers told from Rei's big brother's perspective.</em>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	Reconnect

**Author's Note:**

> This is told entirely from Rei's big brother's perspective.
> 
> I named him 'Tomoe(巴衛)' which means friend or blessing.

Tomoe is five years old when he watches a track and field event on television for the first time. He’s always loved running; the feeling of the wind on his face, in his hair; the feeling of exhilaration coupled with the burning sensation in his lungs after.

His father picks up on this and buys him his first pair of running shoes and since then he starts to accompany his father on his morning jogs.

Tomoe also meets the newest addition to their family the same year. When his parents told him he was to become a big brother, he was delighted. He’d have someone to race with all the time now.

‘Rei’ they had named him(suddenly he wasn’t so conscious of his own name sounding girly). His mother helps him hold the baby in his arms and when he hears Rei laugh for the first time, he learns what it means to fall in love at first sight.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄ƷƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄ƷƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ

He’s seven when he wins first race. It was the annual sports day at school and he never fails to volunteer for the track and field events.

“Go Dad!” With Rei, he cheers loud when it’s their father’s turn to run. He also laughs the loudest when the older Ryugazaki falls face first when he trips.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄ƷƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄ƷƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ

Running and winning as an individual felt amazing. Running with a team was different, but it had it’s own beauty. When he’s in fifth grade, he joins the relay events. He learns how to get along with others working towards a common goal.

Tomoe’s second to run in their lineup. When the first runners start, he immediately positions himself to receive the baton. He reaches for it, but his teammate drops it. Tomoe manages to catch it before it hits the ground. Rei’s voice is enough to make him dash with all his might.

They finish in third place and when they’re called to receive their medals, he looks to the stands and flashes his little brother a grin along with a victory sign.

After a while he sees Rei’s interest in the sport, so he hands down the first pair of running shoes he’s owned to his little brother. They fit him perfectly and Rei starts joining him on his morning jogs.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄ƷƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄ƷƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ

“I hate swimming,” Rei says one day when Tomoe picks him up from lessons.

“Why’s that?”

“I keep sinking to the bottom! And it’s not beautiful when I run out of breath!” he whines.

Tomoe chuckles at this. “But don’t you run out of breath when you run?”

Rei seems offended at the comeback. “It’s different! When you run you’re on land! You can easily catch your breath! But with swimming you’re in the water and I can’t keep holding my head up to the surface; it gets tiring…”

He holds back on pinching the little boy’s cheeks when he pouts. “Let’s get some ice cream before we head home.”

Rei’s face lights up, all traces of their previous conversation gone. “Okay!”

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄ƷƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄ƷƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ

Tomoe is in his first year of middle school when he learns how to pole vault. He invites Rei to watch him practice and it’s on the same day he receives his first injury.

Rei cries when he goes home with his arm in a cast.

“It’s not your fault,” he chastises, patting his head gently to calm him.

It really wasn’t. He just wanted to show off to his little brother how good he had gotten, but it was his arrogance that led to his literal downfall. He miscalculated his jump and lost his balance.

He’s benched for the rest of the year. He doesn’t tell Rei.

It wasn’t his fault.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄ƷƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄ƷƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ

Rei comes to watch Tomoe again the year after. He finally makes a successful jump and he sees the awe in his brother’s eyes.

_I want to try that too._ The words hang in the air.

Tomoe jumps once again and he can tell he’s stolen the air from Rei’s lungs again.

He laughs when Rei tells their parents about what transpired that day, gesticulating animatedly over dinner.

“Can I come watch you again?”

Tomoe grins and tousles his hair playfully. “Of course!”

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄ƷƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄ƷƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ

He’s sixteen when he gets his first part time job. There’s this particular pair of running shoes he wants, but it was expensive and he didn’t want to bother his parents for them. They had more important expenses to think about and soon Rei was to start middle school.

When he told them this, his father insisted that they could buy it for him, but he declined.

“I want to earn it by myself,” and so he did.

After many hours of stacking shelves, standing at the cash register, taking inventory and several paychecks later, he had his first purchase.

Tomoe felt a sense of accomplishment when he stepped out the store and he couldn’t contain his excitement. He pulled out his phone to brag to his best friend about it, but the ‘sale’ sign at the window of the same store distracted him.

Displayed was a pair of running shoes for kids marked down half the original price and his first thought that Rei would love them. All of Rei’s shoes were hand-me-downs from him and his little brother accepted everything without a second’s hesitation.

He had extra yen to spend and Rei’s birthday was just around the corner. He walks back in the store.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄ƷƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄ƷƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ

“Happy birthday!”

Rei is ecstatic when he receives his very own pair of running shoes. On the spot he insists they go on a run so he can break them in.

Tomoe grins and suggests they go after dinner. For now, they celebrate the rest of his birthday.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄ƷƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄ƷƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ

In his last year of high school, he’s made the captain of the track club because he’s shown the most dedication and improvement among the members. Everyone else is thrilled and they pat him on the back, but they don’t compare to the grin on Rei’s face when he tells him the news.

In the same year he watches Rei pole vault for the first time. Rei starts off with incredible concentration and Tomoe forgets how to breathe when Rei jumps. His form is beautiful and he makes a perfect landing on the mat.

Tomoe feels his chest swell with pride as Rei stands up and when the coach praises him.

He leaves Iwatobi with his head held high because he got accepted to his first choice of university.

Rei promises to keep in touch and tell him his progress periodically.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄ƷƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄ƷƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ

University life is hectic with paperwork, reports and deadlines constantly looming over him. Running has now become more of a hobby and a means to keep himself in shape.

Tomoe opens his phone and his eyes crinkle fondly at the message from his little brother telling him he won first place at a meet.

Rei’s emails cheer him up and it keeps him going on days on end, but on his second year of university, the messages he receives become less and less until they finally stop.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄ƷƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄ƷƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ

He doesn’t ask. He doesn’t assume. He waits patiently instead because he’s also kept busy by his professors and he barely has any free days.

His mother calls him one day and tells him that Rei’s swim team is going to nationals.

Swim team. Not track.

Tomoe goes silent and he considers why his little brother stopped talking to him. Was it…

“ _Tomoe?_ ”

“I’m here,” he’s shaken out of his thoughts and breathes out a small sigh as he slumps against his chair.

“ _I’m sorry. Rei asked me not to tell you, but I figured you ought to know. Track is still as important to him. He just didn’t know how to tell you…_ ”

He nods, but he remembers she can’t see him. “It’s okay.” Tomoe pauses and checks his calendar.

“I’ll be there.”

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄ƷƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄ƷƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ

Tomoe chooses a spot where he has a good view of the pool and where he won’t be easily spotted. He almost gapes when Rei walks out the locker room with his teammates. How his little brother had grown.

The relay starts. Iwatobi keeps up with their opponents.

When it’s Rei’s turn, he stops breathing altogether. His form is beautiful when he dives into the water. His chosen stroke was elegant and it fit him well. It was like watching Rei pole vault for the first time.

Tomoe starts cheering when Rei makes his turn, never mind the strange looks sent his way. It was his time to give his little brother support.

Iwatobi doesn’t win, but the four of them were happy nonetheless.

“You were great, little brother.”

Tomoe smiles and he’s silent when he leaves. His mother sends him a copy of their victory photo.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄ƷƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄ƷƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ

The next summer before his graduation, he buys swim gear and goes back home unannounced. His mother welcomes him, but Rei is nowhere to be found.

“Captain duties, huh?” He says to his mother and he receives a small smile in reply.

Tomoe cleans up his room a little so it’s livable again while he waits for Rei to return. Before the end of the day, his mother goes to the store to buy an ingredient she was missing to cook his favorite dish. 

The door to Rei’s room was slightly ajar and he goes to close it, but instead gets a glimpse of the inside. He goes in and smiles when he sees that Rei kept his trophies and medals from track. There are shelves filled with many books most of them about swimming. He feels a slight pang in his chest when he sees some about track.

He picks one up and flips through it when he hears the front door open.

“I’m home.”

He doesn’t put the book down and just continues skimming through some pages. Tomoe looks to the door when he hears a loud thump.

Shock, fear, guilt and regret were written over Rei’s face when he sees Tomoe for the first time in three years.

The older almost laughs, but he relents and puts the book down. “Hey captain, you think you could teach me how to swim tomorrow after practice?”

Tears flow down Rei’s cheeks and he throws himself at his big brother while sputtering apologies.

Tomoe rubs his back gently to calm him, tell him it’s alright and that he did nothing wrong. This goes on for another few minutes and when Rei quiets down, Tomoe nuzzles their foreheads together.

“I’m so proud of you.”

And those words are enough to make Rei cry again.


End file.
